Here is something you might not have realized: men have a part in a wedding too. I know, it’s shocking. After months of doing whatever the bride wants, as well as whatever the bride’s family, brides friends, brides acquaintances and brides work friends want, the idea that the groom has anything to do with the actual wedding might seem a bit shocking. My friend told me once that he felt like all he was supposed to do is show up at the wedding, stand there, say I do, and get out of the way of the bride. He said that it took the bride years before she didn’t refer to it as her wedding and not their wedding.

The thing about a wedding, though, is that as much as we want to diminish the grooms place in the planning of the whole ceremony and reception, he is still in charge of picking out the most important part of the ceremony: the rings. And not just the women’s ring either, but also the men’s ring too. That’s right, mens wedding bands: the other wedding ring. While the women’s ring gets all the oooooo’s, most of the awww’s and a good amount of the attention, a men’s wedding ring is still a huge part of the ceremony. And while the women’s ring may have more bling to it, there are things to consider when getting a men’s wedding band too.

When it comes to a wedding band, most men like to take the less is more approach. This means that flashy diamonds and other precious stones are out, unless, you know, that’s your type of thing. What we’ve seen in recent years is an explosion in the use of different types of metals in the wedding ring business, especially for men. Men’s rings used to only be available in gold, silver, platinum and bronze. Now, you can find a wedding band in such metals as palladium, tungsten, and titanium. What many men like about these newer metals is that they look both classy and industrial giving off a personality all their own. You can even get gold, silver and even diamonds on the bands, which means that you don’t have to completely rule out tradition for a new look.

While wedding bands may play a small part in the overall scope of the wedding, when the reception is done and the presents have all been open, the rings are the most lasting symbol of your eternal bond together. It’s not just for the bride, or just for the groom, it’s for both of you.

Author Kim likes to make sure men get the same attention to their mens wedding bands.

Poor men’s wedding bands. Yes, I know I just humanized a piece of jewelry, but if you think about it, is there any less appreciated piece in the entire jewelry catalog? Always solid and reliable, but rarely sexy, a men’s wedding band is the San Antonio Spurs of jewelry (look it up non-sports fans). While a women’s wedding and engagement ring is seemingly on display for the world to see and fawn over, a men’s wedding band just sits on a man’s hand as a warning to inquiring women of the world: yes, I’m married so stay away.

Fortunately for men, this has been changing in recent years. Men’s wedding bands have been getting a little more T.L.C. from jewelry companies with new designs, materials, and attitude. Heck, some companies have even started adding some subtle stones to their bands. That was unheard of just ten years ago.

One of the leaders in this new men’s ring revolution have been the titanium ring makers. New to the jewelry world, titanium has become the new must have ring material for men. Industrial looking, yet sexy, sleek and stylish, titanium rings have a look that seems to match a man’s jewelry taste perfectly. While they don’t automatically stand out, they definitely require a second look when noticed. Coming in black and silver, these rings have become serious competition to the traditional silver or gold bands that have been standard to the men’s ring market for decades. One of my good friends chose titanium for his wedding band and it is still to this day the only men’s wedding band that I notice on a regular basis.

One of the coolest things about the titanium wedding bands that companies have been offering in recent years is that precious stones have been added to the designs. These aren’t big stones, but very small diamonds inserted into the band of the ring. They fit perfectly with the feel of the titanium ring, while adding a nice bit of style of the design.

Men’s jewelry has been going through a renaissance in recent years. Essentially given up for dead just thirty years ago (it used to be passé for men to wear anything more than a simple gold wedding band), companies have begun to invest a bit more time and money in modernizing jewelry designs in their men’s catalog. The key has always been to find a balance, and while some men seem to enjoy the excess of diamonds, precious metals and colorful stones, most men just want a nice balance of style and sophistication in their jewelry. These titanium jewelry designs seem to be the next logical step in making jewelry a more accepted piece of the male wardrobe.

Author Kim Green hopes that men will someday take as much pride in men’s wedding bands as women take in their wedding bands.

For years, men’s wedding bands have had a reputation for being boring, cliché and, more often than not, under appreciated. But thanks to new metals hitting the market, men’s rings are having a renaissance and are a lot more interesting then you might remember.

Men’s wedding bands are some of the most under appreciated pieces in the world of jewelry. While a women’s engagement and wedding ring is showed off to friends, co-workers, family and common acquaintances, a men’s wedding band just sort of exists, sitting on the man’s hand as a symbol of love, though seriously, not much else.

While under appreciated, recent developments in the men’s ring industry have led to some intriguing new designs featuring stunning metals. While a men’s wedding ring might not be the most distinguishable part of a men’s daily ensemble, it doesn’t mean that it has to be boring.
At their core, men’s wedding bands are all about simplicity. While a women’s wedding ring is there to show off, a men’s band is there to simply state: I’m married, hands off. Because of this, men traditionally don’t go for anything like fancy diamonds or other “bling”, they simply stick with a precious metal. While gold and silver are still beloved choices, many men have started to flock towards other metals such as titanium and tungsten. These metals still give off beauty and sophistication, but they also give off something else, something that makes them perfect for men. I don’t want to use the word “macho” because that makes it sound shallow, no, these metals startle the line between endearingly industrial and sophisticated much like a beautifully designed high rise which melds both steel and glass.

The nice thing about metals such as titanium and tungsten is that they are versatile enough to add other precious jewels or metals to the rings. Some sellers add sterling silver rope bands to their rings or engraved art carved faces. One of the most popular materials to add to these “metallic” rings is diamonds. Adding a bit of class to the rings, both white and black diamond’s can be utilized as they go perfectly with titanium and tungsten rings. To give them a subtle sophistication, these diamonds are usually set into the band and not inserted on top of them.

These titanium and tungsten mens wedding bands do not look like a simple fad. What started out as something that was just offered by a few websites has now turned into a multi-million dollar industry. Despite popular belief, men are looking for something intriguing and catchy for their wedding bands. It might not be about the bling, but it’s about bringing out personality in a simple, sophisticated ring. Take a look online and you’ll see just how many choice you have. You might be pleasantly surprised.

Kimberly Green was so impressed with the mens wedding bands found at titanium-jewelry.com that she bought her husband’s ring there.

Author: Kimberly Green
Choosing a wedding band can be quite an order with so many choices of styling and material. Even in today’s times, with so many new trends coming and going, and traditional ones warping, evolving and falling by the way side, mens wedding bands are one tradition that holds true.

A marriage is just as important today as it was two hundred years ago, and having a symbolic representation of the special and ultimate union between a man and a woman hasn’t lost any meaning or significance. Of course, today’s fashion conscious world has men thinking more along the lines of trendy, stylish and sophisticated, so the mens wedding bands of today may not be exactly like the ones that were commonly found and used several decades ago.

Since men are just as into fashion and women are, it makes sense that the wedding bands of today represent their lines of fashion as well. It’s very important that wedding bands come in all styles and variations, so that they meet the expectations of mens fashion, styles and tastes. There’s several things to consider when choosing a mens wedding band. No two wedding bands are alike, and the various aspects and features of a wedding band will determine its ultimate price. Carat weight refers to the weight of the gemstones or diamonds that are used in the wedding band, as well as their cut and quality. The metals that make up the composite of the band can also determine the final price. There will be a large price difference between a gold-plated wedding band and a solid gold wedding band. Design details, including intricate cuts, overlays, engravings and carvings, will also determine the price of a wedding band.

Finally, there is setting type. Standard settings for mens wedding bands cost different than more unique and extravagant settings. Mens wedding bands come bearing their own unique style and personality, or can be matched to womens wedding bands. Some couples prefer identical wedding bands, which usually consist of plain gold bands, with the woman’s band being slightly lighter and thinner. Other couples may use coordinating sets of wedding bands. These feature two bands that are different and show off their own personality, but when placed together easily match up to create a beautiful set. There are even sets of wedding bands that allow for a complementing engagement ring, so that all three rings fit together perfectly, and show off as a perfect match. Where you shop for mens wedding bands is up to you, but you’ll often find the most unique and best priced selections of them online.

I was scanning through my radio presets the other day when I stopped on a sports talk radio program talking about Roger Federer, the number one ranked tennis player in the entire world.

To my surprise, though, instead of talking about his impressive 2009 season where he won two grand slam titles and made it to the finals of the two other ones, they were instead talking about his personal life, namely the fact that instead of being a single bachelor he decided to get married last year. They were actually making fun of him for settling down, wearing one of those men’s wedding bands, and having kids instead of pulling a Joe Namath and playing the field for a one night stand.

Is this what it’s come to? Why are we mocking our athletes (and movie stars and music stars, etc.) for getting married while they are still famous? It’s not like Federer married some random chick he met at a famous nightclub. He married his business manager who he had been dating for five years. How come Beyonce can sing a hit song about a women wanting a wedding ring from his boyfriend as a feminist anthem (I won’t even get into that), but a famous male athlete get’s chastised for settling down? He’s the greatest tennis player of all time and arguably the greatest ambassador the sport has, he’s earned whatever he wants to do.

The talk show hosts were pretty much intimating that he should be dating supermodels and not worrying about changing diapers (Federer just had twins). Wouldn’t it be more distracting for a famous athlete to date and then have to deal with breakups? One of the things that make’s Federer so great is that he always seems so focused on the court. Doesn’t having a stable relationship help him on that? While dating a string of models is nice for some people, if you find someone who makes you happy why not settle down? This guy makes tens of million dollars a year, I’m sure he’s not worried about status.

But anyway, why is this our business? Don’t we complain about celebrities who change beaus and often as they change clothes? So why are we mocking a guy for doing the exact opposite? Shouldn’t he be a role model? “Hey, here’s a guy who does the right thing on the court and off it.” Not that getting married is necessarily the wrong or right thing, but someone shouldn’t be looked down at for doing that in his mid twenties. He just came off one of the best years of his career. Obviously married life is treating him pretty well.

Author Kim Green had a wonderful experience looking through hundreds of mens wedding bands until she found the perfect one for her now husband!